Over 40 performances, international stars, the Polish "Inferno" competition, and ten days of theatrical celebration. This year’s theme, "Waiting for Barbarians," is not a prophecy of the end of the world, but an invitation to discuss a new order. But what to choose from such a rich program? We give the floor to those who curated it.

A festival is not just about performances; it is primarily about the encounter. This year, as Director Bartosz Szydłowski emphasizes, reality itself has written the script for the festival's theme. To help you navigate this year's labyrinth of meanings, we asked our selectors and hosts for their personal "TOP 3."

Here is your cheat sheet before you head to the box office.

The City’s Voice: Kraków as a Stage

Daniel Wiśniowski – Director of the Kraków Brand Department

For Daniel Wiśniowski, the Divine Comedy is proof that Kraków remains the cultural heart of this part of Europe. It represents 10 days of building a theatrical community.

"Undoubtedly, I can say that this is the most important event in this part of Europe, and Kraków has its own contribution and pride in it."

Worth Seeing:
The festival is the city's pride, so it is worth paying attention to Kraków-based productions competing for the Divine Comedian statuette. This year, the Inferno competition features three titles from Kraków, including:

• The Flying Spaghetti Monster (Latający potwór spaghetti, dir. Mateusz Pakuła, Łaźnia Nowa Theatre) – [BUY TICKET]
• Ulysses (Ulisses, dir. Michał Borczuch, Juliusz Słowacki Theatre) – [BUY TICKET]
• Attack on the National Stary Theatre. The Birth of a Nation (Zamach na Narodowy Stary Teatr. Narodziny narodu, dir. Jakub Skrzywanek, National Stary Theatre)  – [BUY TICKET]

Inferno: Male Sensitivity and European Format

Jacek Cieślak – Selector for the Competition Section

In his choices, Jacek Cieślak focuses on diversity—from radical performance art to an intimate study of masculinity and... a theological farce.

"One must know what is happening in European theatre, and this performance communicates us with that theatre in a very, very powerful way."

Jacek Cieślak’s Recommendations:

• A Year Without Summer (Rok, w którym nie było lata, dir. Florentina Holzinger, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz)
  Why? A special event of the festival. A brave, powerful proposition that indicates the direction in which European theatre is heading. A must-see for those seeking strong impressions.
• Ulysses (Ulisses, dir. Michał Borczuch, Juliusz Słowacki Theatre) – [BUY TICKET]
  Why? A challenging but essential performance. It explores male sensitivity, a topic that is often marginalized in contemporary discourse.
• The Flying Spaghetti Monster (Latający potwór spaghetti, dir. Mateusz Pakuła, Łaźnia Nowa Theatre) – [BUY TICKET]
  Why? A surprising formula blending camp and musical styles, which uses an attractive form to hide weighty questions about faith and religiosity.

 New Languages: Cosmos, Climate, and Body

Agata Skrzypek – Selector for the Competition Section

Agata Skrzypek seeks respite in the theatre from the excess of words, but also looks for engagement with the most critical issues of our time: the climate catastrophe and minority rights.

"Florentina Holzinger has this extraordinary ability to speak about important matters (...) using everything that theatrical machinery has to offer."

Agata Skrzypek’s Recommendations:

• Cosmic Home (Kosmiczny dom, dir. Lina Lapelytė, TR Warszawa)
  Why? Ideal for those tired of "talking heads" in the theatre. The entire performance takes place on a revolving stage—a note of caution for those prone to motion sickness!
• A Year Without Summer (Rok, w którym nie było lata, dir. Florentina Holzinger, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz)
  Why? A second vote for this title! Agata appreciates the artistic craftsmanship and the ability to address feminism and the climate crisis in a spectacular manner.
• Threesome and Teach Me Not! (dir. Wojtek Grudziński, Zodiak – Centre for New Dance, Nowy Teatr w Warszawie) – [BUY TICKET]
  Why? The winner of the Polityka Passport Award combines seriousness with humor, utilizing masks and a ballet barre. It is dance that appeals to a specific, sharp sense of humor.

The Off Stream: The River, Wildness, and Freshness

Magda Piekarska – Selector for the Competition Section

If you are looking for a breath of fresh air and new theatrical languages, listen to Magda Piekarska. Her choices focus on the unobvious and the socially resonant.

"It is the Oder River itself that conducts the investigation in its own case."

Magda Piekarska’s Recommendations:

• Threesome (dir. Wojtek Grudziński, Zodiak – Centre for New Dance, Nowy Theatre in Warsaw)
  Why? A production from the Nowy Theatre that proves it is worth looking where theatre corresponds with movement.
• The River of Sorrow (Smutna rzeka, dir. Michał Zadara, Institute for Performative Law) – [BUY TICKET]
  Why? A shocking story about an ecological catastrophe, where Barbara Wysocka takes on the role of the Oder River. Neither politicians nor judges, but Nature itself takes the floor.
• Feral (dir. Josephina Cerda, Fundación Cuerpo Sur)
  Why? An international accent. A story about "wildness" that has been unleashed. It promises to be an incredibly moving event.

Don't Wait for the Barbarians – Buy a Ticket!

This year's edition is an explosive mix: from the classics of Joyce, through ecological manifestos, to radical performance art. Last tickets for these performances disappear quickly, so do not delay.

See you at the theatre!